I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y JULY 13, 2019 SPORTS 15

Karim Ansarifard signs for FIBA World Cup Trophy Tour arrives at

MNA — FIBA Basketball 2019 World Cup Trophy Tour ’s Al-Sailiya club Cup arrived at Tehran’s Milad tower on Thursday morning as its tour around the Iranian capital continues. TEHRAN — Iranian He was previously linked with Scottish SPORTS will kick off the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 deskinternational forward giants Rangers, as well as Hamburg, in with a match against Puerto Rico on Aug. 31. has completed a per- Germany, and Turkish team Besiktas this manent move from Nottingham Forest summer. to Qatari side Al-Sailiya. Announcing Ansarifard’s arrival, The Iranian has left the English Cham- Al-Sailiya said the move came after a pionship side after less than a year, putting “period of negotiations”. pen to paper on a two-year deal. They added: “The player was hired Ansarifard joined Forest last November on the recommendations of team coach as a free agent, following the cancellation Sami Trabelsi, who sees the right player of his contract with Greek football team for the team and (who) is able to provide Olympiacos, nottinghampost.com reported. the strong technical addition in the line He went on to make 12 appearances of the attack in the new season.” in the team, though only three of those Forest head coach Sabri Lamouchi came as part of the starting XI. is quickly starting to put his stamp on He found the back of the net twice, his squad ahead of the new Champi- once in the 3-0 home victory over Hull onship season. City in March and then bagging the only The Reds have taken their total num- The match will be held at the Guangzhou Gymnasium goal of the game at QPR a month later. ber of additions to six, and have also seen in Guangzhou. The 29-year-old missed part of last sea- Hillal Soudani and Apostolos Vellios leave. Team Melli have been drawn with world’s second-ranked son as he was called up by his country for Out-of-favour quartet Michael Hefele, Spain, Puerto Rico and Tunisia in Group C. the AFC Asian Cup in January, and also Daryl Murphy, Liam Bridcutt and Luke Iran will face Tunisia on Sept. 2 and meet powerhouses found himself down the pecking order in Steele have also been told they are free to Spain two days later the battle for a first-team place. find other clubs. The competition will be held in China from 31 Aug. to 15 Sept. The 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup will be the 18th Sohrab Moradi out of IWF World Bakhtiar Rahmani joins Qatari tournament of the FIBA Basketball World Cup for men’s Championships club Al Shamal national basketball teams. Rescheduled from 2018 to 2019, this edition will be the first FIBA Basketball World Cup since 1967 that will not occur in the same year as the FIFA World Cup, but a year following the latter.

Esteghlal eye Italian forward Manuel Pucciarelli

Iranian football club Esteghlal have shown interest in signing Italian forward Manuel Pucciarelli. The 28-year-old striker currently plays in Chievo. Esteghlal Italian coach has wanted the Iranian club to strengthen the team by signing Pucciarelli. Italian teams Sassuolo and Ascoli are reportedly eying Pucciarelli. Esteghlal have already signed Malian forward Cheick Tidiane Diabaté. SPORTS TEHRAN — Olympic Asian Games, suffered a spinal cord injury SPORTS TEHRAN — Iranian tor Sazi, Esteghlal, Sepahan and Zob Ahan. (Source: Tuttomercatoweb) deskgold medalist Sohrab in February. deskfootball midfielder Rahmani has played for the Iran national Moradi is not able to participate at the He lifted 189kg in the opening discipline Bakhtiar Rahmani joined Qatari football football teams in all ranks. 2019 International Weightlifting Feder- to better the snatch record set at 188kg club Al Shamal on Friday. He won Iran Professional League with ation (IWF) World Championships after in 1999 by Greece’s Akakios Kakiasvilis. Rahmani has penned a one-year contract Foolad in 2013-14 season. Iran taekwondoka earns gold suffering a shoulder injury in training. Now, Moradi is facing a fresh injury with the Qatari second tier football club Al Shamal SC are a Qatari multi-sports competition will be held in in five months. for an undisclosed fee. club based in Madinat ash Shamal. in 2019 Universiade Pattaya, Thailand from September 16 to 25. Moradi, who won a gold medal in the Rahmani started his football career in Al Shamal were founded in 1980. The Moradi, who broke weightlifting’s long- men’s 94kg category at the Rio 2016 Olympic Foolad in 2007 and played nine years for football team currently compete in the IRNA – Iranian taekwondo fighter Mir Hashem Hosseini est standing world record on his way to Games, suffered a shoulder dislocation in the besed football club. second tier of Qatari football, the Qatar- in the weight category of – 68 kg received a gold medal at gold in the men’s 94kg class at the 2018 training and underwent surgery. The 27-year-old has also played in Trac- gas League. the 30th Summer Universiade in the Naples, Italy. In his first match, Hosseini defeated Mongolian rival 30- 8. Then, he hit Taipei rival and advanced to quarter-finals. Abe moves to Barcelona After defeating, Croatian fighter in quarter-finals, he advanced to semi-final match. confirmed on Friday that His progress impressed head coach , He also defeated South Korean athlete and then hit is transferring to Spanish champions FC Barcelona. who included him in the Japanese senior team for their Belgian rival in the final match. The 20-year-old forward, who has been with the recent Copa America campaign in Brazil. Iranian team with 42 athletes took part in the compe- reigning Asian champions since 2017, will make his “I spent a few months in high school and two and a tition of Universiade 2019. first move to the European continent and will be hoping half years at Kashima Antlers, and I was able to grow The team had 62 members at the latest event of Univer- to feature in the La Liga and UEFA Champions League. as a professional player,” Abe said. siade in Taiwan. They won 23 medals (8 gold, 4 silver and Abe has shown tremendous talent for both club and “To the staff, teammates and supporters, it was 11 bronze medals) and ranked 10th at the event. the Japanese national team. Last year, he played a crucial my pride and fortune to fight for victory with all the The 30th edition of Universiade of university students role in assisting Kashima to their first AFC Champions Antlers family. will be underway until July 14 in Naples, Italy. League title, while also impressing domestically in the “It was a difficult decision to leave the team this sea- The Universiade is an international multi-sport event, to be named the Rookie of the Year. son, I felt strongly that I wanted to try new challenges in organized for university athletes by the International Uni- Abe first donned the Samurai Blue jersey for the U-19 Barcelona, and I decided to move, and I believe that the versity Sports Federation. The name is a combination of squad in 2017, before going on to compete in the AFC various difficulties I will face from now on are absolutely the words “University” and “Olympiad”. U-19 Championship Finals the following year, where necessary for my growth.” Japan finished as semi-finalists. (Source: the-afc) Cameroonian strikers linked Turkish coach eyes Iran league title with Persepolis Turkish coach is targeting “We have to sign new players. Four or in fifth place. Persepolis won the Iranian Iran’s top-tier Pro League ti- five players left the club,” he said, adding championship. tle this season with his new team, Tractor that the club could take on as many as three This is Denizli’s third spell in Iran, as TASNIM — Cameroonian strikers Michael Cheukoua and Football Club. foreign players. he previously coached Persepolis FC and Léonard Kweuke have been linked with a move to Iranian “I hope we will break new ground for this Only three foreign players can play per Pas Teheran. football club Persepolis. club,” Denizli, 69, told Anadolu Agency on Iranian club, he explained. He last managed a Turkish Spor Toto Cheukoua, 22, is currently playing at Austrian football Wednesday as he eyes Tractor FC’s first-ever He also praised Tractor FC fans’ great Super Lig team, Kasimpasa, but stepped club SC Wiener Neustadt. league title. interest and enthusiasm. down in May. Cheukoua started his career at Cameroonian football Denizli said that he wanted “a new chal- Denizli said both he and , the During his career, Denizli scored Super club Canon Yaoundé. lenge” so he chose Iran. club’s hometown, are thrilled over this Lig titles with the “big three” Istanbul teams: Former Esteghlal striker Kweuke is also linked with a “Iran is a country that I love. I wanted a season, as they want to take the club’s Galatasaray (1988), Fenerbahce (2001), and move to Persepolis. new challenge. So I came to a new club with first-ever league title. Besiktas (2009). The 32-year-old Cameroonian forward has most recently high expectations,” he added. Tractor FC was founded in 1970, taking the average home attendance is 60,000. Denizli also managed Turkey’s national played at Turkish Club Çaykur Rizespor. Tractor FC appointed Denizli in June its name from a tractor plant in Tabriz, a Tractor FC play their home games at team during the UEFA Euro 2000 co-hosted Kweuke played in Iranian football clubs Esteghlal and 2019 for a year as his contract with another northwestern city. Yadegar-e Emam Stadium, which has a spec- by the Netherlands and Belgium. Steel Azin from 2006 to 2008. Iranian club, Tabriz, will end in June 2020. They won the Iran Hazfi Cup in 2014, the tator capacity of nearly 67,000, including In that tournament, Turkey reached the He said the club currently needs new only trophy in the club’s history. 50,000 seats. quarterfinals but were eliminated by Portugal. signings due to departures. The fans are very loyal to the team, as Last season Tractor FC finished the league (Source: Anadolu Agency) Mohsen Bengar hangs Young Zob Ahan will be ready for Al Ittihad, says Mansourian up boots Zob Ahan FC head coach expects a League tie and Mansourian said this had made pre-sea- ing Group A winners with a record of three wins and TASNIM — Former Sepahan and Persepolis defender tough challenge but is confident the Islamic Republic of son training even more crucial. three draws. Mohsen Bengar announced on Wednesday he is ending Iran side will overcome ’s Al Ittihad in the Mansourian, who was the Iranian U23 boss in 2011, Their domestic campaign, however, ended with them his playing career. 2019 AFC Champions League Round of 16. said several friendlies and training camps have been sixth in the Iran Pro League and out of the 2020 AFC He has retired from football after 22 years at the age of 40. Zob Ahan, who are in pre-season training, will face lined up to hone the competitive edge of his team. Champions League. Bengar began his career in Shamoushak Noshahr in Al Ittihad on August 5 and 13 and Mansourian said his “We do have a lot of friendly matches planned, and Mansourian admitted that Al Ittihad - who finished 2001, then moved to Sepahan in 2004. He played in the players are working hard to ensure they will be ready. have six mini-camps in . as Group B runners-up - will be a tough challenge but AFC Champions League and FIFA Club World Cup for It will be a changed Zob Ahan side from the one that “We have invited other teams to come to Isfahan. said he is confident of Zob Ahan’s chances. Sepahan. played in the 2018 AFC Champions League with several Our last mini-camp will be held in southern Iran, with “I know and have analyzed the Al Ittihad team, and Bengar is one of Iran’s most decorated football players. players having departed and new faces brought in. weather similar to Dubai and .” have seen all the matches of last season (both in the He has won the Iran Professional League three times with “We have been focusing on fitness and strength training. The Round of 16 tie will be played in neutral venues Saudi Pro League and AFC Champions League). Sepahan. We are working very hard to be in perfect condition for with the first leg in Dubai. “We will have almost a new team for the Round of 16 He also claimed Hazfi Cup twice with the Isfahan-based the match against Al Ittihad,” said Mansourian. Zob Ahan are desperate to prolong their 2019 AFC as many players from the previous Champions League football team. Neither team would have kicked off their 2019-20 Champions League journey after becoming the only season are no longer with us. Bengar made 14 appearances for the Iranian national domestic campaign ahead of the 2019 AFC Champions Iranian club to advance to the knockout stage, emerg- (Source: the-afc) football team from 2003 to 2014.